


To Dance Deviously

by indigorose50



Series: LT Shippy Week 2019 [4]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), LazyTown
Genre: Alternate Universe, Confessions, F/M, Implied/Referenced Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 04:12:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17697431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indigorose50/pseuds/indigorose50
Summary: RG200, aka Ella, was programmed with over 1,000 different ballet routines.





	To Dance Deviously

**Author's Note:**

> Theme: Robots/Technology
> 
> You don't really have to know much about Detroit Become Human to get this. There's no spoilers either. Just enjoy the rare pair ;)

RG200, aka Ella, was programmed with over 1,000 different ballet routines. No matter how many times it performed a Grad Jete, pirouette, or fouette, it never tired or complained. It was the only dancer in the company who performed every show of the week.

Some of its cast mates did not like this. They said having an android in the cast took a spot away from a dancer with _passion_. They openly insulted Ella and someone always had to be forced to dance with it in practice.

But not once did anyone ask if _Ella_ had passion for dance.

And most of the time, it did not. It followed the routine the director asked for like a set of equations. 

Sometimes, however, when the crowd was clapping and the lights were shining and the ballet was ending— Ella _liked_ dancing. _She_ liked dancing.

Then the moment would be over. Everyone would go home, and it would be locked in a closet in stasis mode until practice the next day.

Its existence had been like this for four months and 12 days; ever since its first owner sold it after a practice accident had damaged Ella’s vocal wires.

“It moved wrong!” Ella’s partner had insisted as Ella lay on the floor, sparking and unable to move. “Stupid thing didn’t twist in time!”

Ella hadn’t been programmed to twist for that move but the director didn’t point that out. Instead, he had sold Ella off at a discount to Ella’s current company. “Luckily dancers don’t need to talk,” its new owner had said. “Or else it would be the scrap yard for you.”

The thought of being thrown away did not scare Ella. It did not feel relief at being allowed to exist either. Androids do not feel.

Sometimes, after a day of being verbally abused and left in a dark closet, Ella would wonder which _she_ would have preferred.

There was one bright spot in its existence. For the past two months and 28 days, a human had been kind to her. Pixel, part of the stage crew, talked with Ella after every performance. The 20 year old would complement how she had covered up a human cast mate’s mistake or how satisfied she looked after an act was completed.

“Your crew was also efficient,” Ella signed at him. “Everyone moves so quickly. Are you sure none of you are androids?”

Understanding Ella’s sign language perfectly, something not even the director could do, Pixel laughed. “It would be useful but no. All those mistake were human made.”

“You mean the curtain error in act 2, scene 5?”

“Yeah. I’m sure I’ll get a lecture on that later.”

They walked together until they reached Ella’s closet. Before it could go in, Pixel grabbed Ella’s hand. “I was wondering…” he waited until Ella looked at him. “Do you want me to try and fix your vocal wires?”

Pixel had helped fix Ella a few times. One time a cast member, unidentified, had kicked a piece of the set towards Ella and it had fallen over, nearly snapping its right foot off. As the director had yelled about used technology and discount products, Pixel had run up to fix Ella’s ankle. If Ella could feel relief, _she_ felt it then.

Now, Ella shook its head at Pixel’s offer. Taking its hand back it signed, “It makes me feel different from everyone. In a good way. I don’t mind. It is the reason I’m here with you.”

Pixel’s face flushed. Ella had been speaking literally— if its vocal wires hadn’t been damaged, it wouldn’t have been sold off. But maybe Ella meant something more by that. It smiled. “Good night, Pixel. Sleep well.”

“Y-You too. I mean! Um.” He waved a hand at the closest. “You know. Good night.”

A few days later, Pixel was helping realign Ella’s shoulder after a practice ‘accident’. “They shouldn’t treat you like this,” Pixel all but growled. “You’re part of the cast. You all do the same show. Why are they so _mean_ to you?”

Ella shrugged. It was hard to sign without a fully functioning left arm. There was a snap, and a blue screen took over part of Ella’s vision, saying everything was fully operational.

Pixel shifted to sit next to Ella, rubbing the shoulder almost sympathetically. “If you couldn’t dance, what would you do?”

“I am also equipped with several medical functions including first aid and bone resetting,” Ella replied matter-of-factly. “Perhaps I could be refurbished as a nurse android or—”

“That not what I mean,” Pixel interrupted. “What would you _want_ to do? What do you like doing?”

Ella paused, giving it some thought. Her LED flashed yellow as she considered. “I…” She returned her hands to her lap, then lifted them again. “I do like dancing. But I would want to try other forms than ballet. I am programmed to know ballet but I would want to learn other kinds.”

That brought a smile to Pixel’s face. “I could teach you break-dancing if you want! We could go right now!”

Across the room, the other dancers were practicing the steps for “La Bayadere”. Ella would have the choreography uploaded tomorrow. Apart from being a partner for a human, there was no further reason for Ella to be here today. “Okay,” she signed, matching his smile. “I would like to learn”

Grinning wider, Pixel jumped to his feet, took her hand, and began to lead her out.

“Hey!” Snapped the director. “Don’t go stealing my android!”

“I’m not stealing her,” Pixel explained. “You don’t need her right now. We’re going to dance somewhere else.”

“I don’t want it out of my sight! It keeps getting busted up. I don’t need it breaking on me.”

“She stands a higher chance of _not_ getting hurt if she’s far away from these jealous _jerks_!”

Everyone had stopped by now to stare at the three of them. The director was red in the face. “Ella, I _order_ you to stay here!”

“What of that’s not what she wants?!” Pixel yelled. “What if she doesn’t want to be in this stupid ballet anymore?!”

“It’s a machine. It doesn’t _want_ anything. Ella, stay _here_!”

Pixel turned to Ella, squeezing its hand.

A large error screen lit up before Ella. In big red letters it screamed at Ella to not deviate from its ballet programming. RG200 was designed to dance ballet and listen to its owner, nothing more. It didn’t need kindness, company, or to learn. It didn’t feel, it didn’t have wants, it didn’t care about getting injured.

But Ella cared. _She_ needed Pixel and the thrill of learning and compassion and to be away from these humans who hurt her so.

The red error screen grew painfully bright, demanding she stay, demanding she obey her owner’s command. Her LED flashed red.

Ella tore down the wall. She ripped away the “STAY” command herself. Fury rippled through her at the thought of having to listen to this director anymore.

She blinked rapidly. The error screen was gone. Pixel, the director, and the company were still watching her. As her LED blinked back to blue, she put up her middle finger to the room and pulled Pixel through the door.

Once they were out in the hallway, Pixel started laughing. “Oh _man_ , that was— I can’t _believe–_ ” He was nearly doubled over now, still holding her hand but now clutching his gut with his free arm. “I love you,” he finally got out, smiling up at her.

She grinned back and let go of his hand. Maybe after figuring out these emotions she could somehow now feel, she would say the same thing. For now, Ella hugged Pixel tight. And let herself feel _hope._


End file.
